


Something More

by starlies



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Protectiveness, Romance, kinda angst but not that bad i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-09 15:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5546174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlies/pseuds/starlies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A knight and a princess fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Oath

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ  
> This work is three chapters long - Seth first tells us about their relationship before the game, then Eirika fills in the middle, and finally, we see what happened to the two of them in the end. It's been a bit of a challenge, mostly because it's hard to get into Seth's head and I always second-guess myself. But challenge is good! So I'm determined to finish this little project.

He swore, a million times, over and over until the mantra wore his mind ragged, that he would not allow himself to fall in love with her. But then again, he was likely lying to himself all along, because here he was now - helplessly smitten, as he had been for a very long time.

When did it all begin, anyway?

It wasn't an infatuation that manifested suddenly, a Shakespearean miracle upon first sight. These sorts of things took time, and a lot of it.

When Seth first met Eirika, he was barely four years old, still a tiny little child hiding behind his mother's graceful legs, clutching the end of her skirt as they attended the blessing of the newborn heirs of Renais. The court was abuzz with excitement over the arrival of not just a healthy child born to King and his wife, but baby twins, a boy and a girl. Such a miracle brought nobles and dignitaries from all walks of life to Castle Renais, crowding the palace grounds on the day of the blessing. However, as his family maintained deeply historical and loyal ties to the monarchy, they were invited privately to meet the new prince and princess.

Seth didn't comprehend the significance of the event as his parents, brothers, and the king and queen spoke, standing around two grand cribs. He gazed curiously around the castle interior, entranced by the grandeur of it all, daydreaming about strong knights defeating dragons and monsters, until his mother suddenly scooped him up into her loving arms. She allowed him to hook his small elbows around her neck and peer into the cradles of the infant brother and sister, who remained sound asleep despite the party surrounding them.

This was the first time Seth had ever seen a baby - the age difference between his elder brothers and him was upwards of eight years. At the sight of Eirika, he was immediately transfixed by her rosy cheeks and stumpy fingers, clenched into tiny fists as she slept. An intricate white dress adorned the newborn, and Seth noticed how its flowing, shimmering fabric overwhelmed her tiny body, as if the child would drown in the garb. He wondered how the little girl could survive if she didn't even know how to properly wear clothes.

"Seth, this is Princess Eirika, and that is Prince Ephraim," his mother cooed as she balanced him on her hip. "When you are older, your primary duty as a knight of Renais will be to protect them." The taciturn child continued to gaze at Eirika. He accepted his mother's word, as he would for the rest of his life, constantly reminded of his duty and station as a knight.

He would protect her.

* * *

He saw he periodically around the castle, a vibrant little girl with hair the color of the summer sky who frolicked about the grounds. It was June, and the atmosphere was flooded with the verdant scent of flowers and grass that sprung up as the weather warmed. Childish giggles and taunts jingled in the air, accompanied by fleeting bird songs that caught Seth's ear as he sat cross-legged beneath the green canopy of an oak tree, benignly observing the other boys play war with wooden swords - he had been playing too, but was impaled by Kyle's lance and resided to sitting out as "dead".

It didn't bother him much to play along with the imaginations of the younger boys. There was a certain serenity about watching Ephraim, Kyle, Forde, and Franz romp around the lawn and pretend to be big, strong, decorated soldiers. They comprised most of the children of the palace, along with little Eirika, who hated to be away from her brother but didn't want to play war either. Rather, she skipped about in grass that grew to her knees, bobbed hair bouncing energetically on her neck as she made her way to Seth.

Eirika plopped down next to Seth, dwarfed by his tall, lanky figure even when seated. "Sir Seth!" she cheered, a gap-toothed grin illuminating her face. "Will you play with me? Please?"

Cordially, he smiled back, though more tight-lipped and quiet than Eirika had, as if telling a secret. "You didn't want to play with Ephraim?"

"I don't like war," she pouted.

"What should we play then?"

She glanced upward. "Ummm…. Hide…. Hide and seek."

"Let's all play, then!" Ephraim exclaimed suddenly. Having overheard the conversation, the boys stopped their game and bounded toward Eirika and Seth. Eirika's brother lead the pack, followed by the other two boys his age, then tag-along Franz, all still wielding their toys (though the branch in Franz's grip didn't count much as a lance).

Eirika nodded her head excitedly. "Yeah, yeah! Who should be it?"

"I wanna!" said Franz, with his fingers in his mouth – an unfortunate habit, but only natural for the four-year-old.

"No, no, Franz, you're no good at counting yet!" argued his older brother, Forde, a boy with blond hair that brushed his shoulders as he shook his head disapprovingly at Franz.

Seth rose from his seat, towering over the other children as he dusted grass off his trousers. "I suppose I could play seeker," he proposed.

"Yeah! Count really loud, okay! To… ten!" Ephraim instructed.

"Naturally." Without wasting a second, Seth turned to face the tree he had been shaded by, shut his eyes, and began counting.

"I'm not ready!" Eirika squealed frantically.

"One."

Grass rustled beneath the scampering of children's feet. "Two. Three."

Silence.

"Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine… ten."

Slowly, Seth opened his eyes and turned to the courtyard once more. It was completely abandoned, devoid of the youthful energy that filled it seconds before. Thus, he began his search, dampening the noise of his boots against the earth as he crossed the lawn. He sought to move as stealthily as possible, remaining undetected to catch the other players for the tag.

Seth paused in his tracks. Carefully, he listened for the sound of movement.

There was, oddly enough, a faint whimper coming from the area closer to the castle, from an alleyway between the exterior wall and the knights' quarters. Briskly, he walked towards the crying to investigate, turning the corner into the shade cast by the proud brick walls. To his surprise, there was a little girl squatting in the dimness, sinking into a despondent little heap in the dirt floor.

Seth became worried, and a peculiar, anxious feeling turned in his stomach. Hiding the vacillation in his voice took some effort. "Eirika? Was there an accident? What happened?"

Eirika, overcome by sobs and hiccups, couldn't look up at Seth. He had to inch closer to her still, kneeling down to her level and resting his hand on her back. "Eirika, look at me now," he told her gently. "Are you alright?"

She looked up at him helplessly, eyes red and swollen from weeping, to reveal the corpse of a sparrow between her feet. A collection of slender feathers spread around its body as it lay with tawny wings bent at awkward angles, apparent that it had fallen directly from flight. What a travesty: the blithe creature that belonged in the sky, confined to the dust of earth for eternity.

Sniffling, Eirika rubbed at her nose with a closed fist, smearing tears across her cheek. "S-Seth… he… I think he died…"

"Yes…" Seth replied dismally. "He's passed away."

"That's sad… that's really really sad… !" she sobbed.

His gaze shifted downward, to his feet. "I know."

"Why… why does it happen?"

Seth sighed – leave it to Eirika to ask the big questions. "Well, it's… it's just how it is, Eirika; don't cry. Sometimes, this sort of thing has to happen," he explained, taking time to meticulously plan his words, so not to upset her further. "There has to be death; it's the only way others can live."

"What?"

"I suppose that's a little over your head." Seth chuckled under his breath. "It's something King Fado told me in training once. I don't understand it all myself yet, either."

Eirika turned her head back to the ground, shrouding her face with hair, which appeared almost grey in the half-light.

"Do you want to come with me to find Ephraim and the others?" Seth asked. "We can have a proper burial for the bird."

Wordlessly, she grabbed his hand. Seth rose, assisting Eirika up from the ground, and lead her out of the alley and back into the sunlight. Ephraim, Franz, Forde, and Kyle had all emerged from hiding on their own will, and awaited them in the courtyard.

"Seth, you took too long to find us!" Kyle complained loudly.

"We found a dead bird," Seth replied unemotionally. "We're all going to attend to its burial." He felt Eirika's hand quiver in his grip, as she was still visibly quite upset over her discovery. Seth ached for her – the little girl had seen a bit too much, he thought - but there was little more he could do for her than stroke the back of her hand with his thumb reassuringly.

The funeral took place under Seth's tree. As the leader of the younger boys, Ephraim officiated the ceremony, giving his words about the sparrow and how he was a good bird who lived a good life, thank you gods and amen. For Eirika's sake, the others attempted to keep the mood light, perplexed as to why she was so torn up over the bird. She was the only one who wept over the grave, tear after tear falling on the small dirt mound.

Her fingers tightened around Seth's hand as she sniffed and tried to hold back tears. She tried and tried, but to no avail.

"Seth…" she choked. "I… I don't want to cry… anymore."

* * *

It was years later, during the last winter holiday before the Grado invasion, when the grand, powerful general of the Knights succumbed to the icy clutches of pneumonia. In December, in a chilly great hall before a mourning king, Seth was appointed general in his father's place. The Silver Knight, he came to be called, a shining and sturdy force of Renais who came off the coattails of his golden father; shining and sturdy like December and ice and snow.

Only a few months following that, he spoke to Prince Ephraim privately regarding grave news. The weather was warming now, and snow reduced to patchy slush at their feet; yet Seth felt frozen to the core.

"There are reports of turmoil in Grado," Ephraim said, lips stretched thin in concern. "Vigarde's forces have breached the southern border."

"I've heard as such," Seth agreed.

There was an empty moment as Ephraim shifted his feet, clearly planning his words.

"I intend to infiltrate."

The declaration resonated in the air with a certain gravity that shook and stirred Seth's heart. His brow furrowed at the prince's agenda. How reckless... the crown prince laying his life on the line, just like that! He'd been trained in combat, of course; it was Seth who helped shape his skills with a lance. But too much was a stake by letting him race off into war, a war that was catching fire as they spoke.

"Milord, you must reconsider this plan of yours," Seth pleaded. "It is fine if you wish to serve Renais in the fight, milord. But it would be best if you waited until we launch a full-scale assault, if one is initiated. You would be better protected by the side of the army than on your own."

Ephraim placed his gloved hands on his hips and smirked. "Oh, reliable Seth, I knew you would say that!" At his foresight, he chuckled beneath his breath, a laugh resembling sister's; a low, clear, bell sound. "But I've already gained my father's approval. Kyle, Forde, and Orson will all accompany me – see, we even have a paladin."

Seth glanced to the side.

"We're only doing this for the good of Renais."

"Then I request that I accompany you as well, sire, to keep the royal heir safe!"

Ephraim rested a hand on Seth's shoulder; he had grown so much, he was nearly at the knight's lofty stature, though not quite. "Unfortunately, Sir Seth, I have a request of my own for you," he said, and reached for his side. He pulled out a sheathed sword, a slender rapier, and presented it to Seth. "Please keep Eirika safe," he continued. "And don't let her know where I've gone, because she'll come running after me and get herself in trouble."

The sword felt minuscule and fragile in Seth's palms. "Naturally, Prince Ephraim…" he replied. "However, I already wield a blade of my own."

"Oh, the rapier isn't for you!" Ephraim laughed. "It's for Eirika. She knows how to defend herself, if she needs to, and gods know she'll wait until the very last moment to resort to… this." He motioned to the weapon. "Keep her safe, but guide her. Give her the sword if the time comes – but hopefully, we can snuff out this mad king before their army can reach the capital."

Eirika could indeed wield a sword – and beautifully at that, a nimble little thing who hopped and danced as she sparred with Ephraim in the castle courtyard. Seth had seen them. Around two years ago, it seemed that her brother finally convinced her to join him in training, and the two spent most of their spare time practicing together with wooden weapons; every other time Seth passed through the lawn, there they were, laughing and playing endlessly, filling the atmosphere with light, bubbly energy.

He and Ephraim faced each other in that same lawn now, the noble sword still resting flat in Seth's outstretched hands. A sigh escaped his lips. "As you command, sire," he conceded, and hooked the hilt next to his comparatively grandiose lance; a silver lance for the Silver Knight. It dwarfed Eirika's blade. "I will protect the princess."

This was the last thing Seth told Ephraim before the young prince fled the nation, leaving everyone – Eirika especially – confused and concerned. Everyone except Seth and King Fado, who anticipated the day Grado's forces came banging down the door of Castle Renais. It was as though simultaneously - he turned around once, and King Fado gave his final command; twice, and Seth stared death in the eyes, the dark, sunken eyes of a wyvern rider.

Valter's long, serpent – like hair billowed in the wind as he glared down at Seth, pale lips twisting into a snarl. "You there, with the girl," he shouted menacingly. "Tell me, would that be the wayward princess of Renais?"

Seth gripped Eirika's hand tightly. On the king's orders, he'd dragged her, abeit brusquely, out of the palace and was to ride on with her to Frelia. However, he hadn't even the time to mount his horse when the Grado army convened on the capital and their general confronted him and Eirika.

"Well, this must be my lucky day!" Valter chortled, eyeing the princess, then addressing Seth directly. "You're a dead man. The wench goes with me."

Instinctively, Seth pulled Eirika behind him, picking up her small, smooth hand as he held it in his leather – protected grasp. Even at the dawn of war, she maintained a sort of natural, placid beauty about her, ocean water hair disheveled and spilling off her shoulders, framing her wide, turquoise gems of eyes and pale, anxious face. Her attention darted rapidly about the environment, until, momentarily, her gaze caught Seth's, and the sight of her sparked a peculiar, warm feeling in Seth - something drastically different from the steel coldness he associated himself with.

Gritting his teeth, he gently dropped her hand and reached instead for his lance. Seth turned to face Valter again, planting his boots firmly in the stone – paved ground.

"Never!" he shouted with intense conviction, surging through his voice like fire and burning into his movement as he brandished his weapon, rushed toward the enemy, reached with his entire body, and stabbed at the underbelly of Valter's mount with sharpened silver. But the attack missed. Seth faltered, losing his balance in the thrust and falling to his knees. The wyvern had nimbly avoided the point of Seth's lance, pulling up out of the dodge by batting its majestic, ebony wings and throwing dust and wind into Seth's face.

Valter's vehement voice echoed in Seth's ears as he scrambled to his feet.

"You're just a corpse who doesn't know he is dead."

With that, he lunged at Seth with his own lance, far too quick for the knight to even attempt to avoid it. In a nightmarish flash, he struck Seth, cutting him on the right side of his chest and knocking him down once more. First, Seth felt the pop of a breaking rib, and then pain seared through his body like a terror, radiating from the gash Valter cleaved.

Eirika screamed.

"Ahh… no!" Seth grunted, clutching his sanguine wound and staggering up. But once he found balance once more, it felt as though the injury was invisible, and Seth ran on fervid adrenaline. He grabbed Eirika once more, not my the hand, but scooped her into his arms and ran to his steed. Without thought, he quickly hoisted the princess upon the horse, mounted himself, and dashed away with the hard kick of his boot. Behind them, danger consumed their homeland – but there was no time to look back.

They rode for hours after the escape, shaking off the last of the troops and advancing towards the Border Mulan. Thin, quivering arms wrapped around Seth's waist, and a steady flow of tears soaked into his back from where Eirika rested her head. The scent of the palace still wafted off of her – gentle perfumes and clean linens – but now the scent mixed with the blood that stained Seth's coat.

He felt sick to his stomach.

She didn't deserve this. Well, no one did. No one deserved to be chased out of the country they loved by the tip of a sword. No one deserved to have the weight of a missing brother and a presumably doomed father. And Eirika didn't even know about the secret her bracelet held, a secret more divine and pivotal than what already burdened her.

Eirika didn't deserve this because the burden would be more justly shouldered on someone like Seth, who accepted the complexity and cruelty of the world. Not her, not the princess who was kind and compassionate and benign, not the princess who now had to wear a sword by her side and take up the defense against a previously ally nation. Seth was supposed to protect that princess - she was a luminescent, matchstick flame to be shielded from violent winds. And yet, as her tears fell through his coat and into his back, he felt her flame extinguishing, and knew he failed.

So why not take her to safety?

Not to Frelia. Frelia meant politics, which meant war, which meant they weren't _really_ escaping.

But Seth didn't have to go to Frelia. He could keep going.

He could just ride and ride and ride until they were far away from Renais, and Grado, and Frelia, and Magvel. Then Eirika would be surely secure, which was what she deserved - not a life of troubles and concerns. This peculiar desire unfolded itself within him; not quite loyalty, not quite defiance, and not quite compassion, but something more. Something new manifested in Seth, something that pulled Eirika in and never let her go, creating a new little universe of just Seth and Eirika without the realities of the war and the Stones and the dead king.

His eyes glanced skyward. The heavens were littered with thousands and thousands of stars, a cluttered, natural map that guided Seth, along with the pale illumination of the moon.

He squinted up at them. What good were stars as a guide?

What power did they have over the will of a knight?

Defy the cosmos, defy the cosmic script composed by the gods. It was more complicated that Seth idealized – oh, how much better it would be to whisk Eirika away from the grasp of fate and war and turmoil. But navigating a way off the map of destiny was impossible. No one could escape the stars, perpetually fixed into place by higher powers than man knew, constantly hanging over the earth in their disgustingly serene beauty.

Seth heard a sniffle, followed by a fragile voice. "Seth… how long until we reach Frelia?"

He gazed up again. There sat the north star, proudly radiant in its place in its spot in the firmament. It was as if, not the divine, but Fado himself placed it there for the sake of his children and country. Seth had sworn an oath to that – not just for Eirika's protection, but Renais; and now that the violence blossomed as it did, likely the entire world.

It was painful.

And yet, it was his duty, his honor, to uphold his promise to the father of the princess who wrapped her arms around him, as if Seth was the only constant in the world, a fixed star in his own respect.

"No longer than another day's journey," he replied, and proceeded in leading the pair westward, guided by the brightest star.


	2. Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This felt like it took forever to write... fourrrrr thousanddddd wordsssssssssss. Goodness. At this rate, this project will be longer than Full Circle... /sweats
> 
> Here we have my little adaptation of Seth and Eirika's A-rank support, which honestly I did NOT think would result in an endgame marriage for them, but surprise! They will live happily ever after (even though I seem to let Eirika cry in like every single scene in this fic. But I mean, they have this sort of star-crossed thing going on, so it's hard to not cry, I guess.)

The bath water Tana had drawn was warm and perfumed, contrasting starkly with the ugly, stressful journey that ended with Eirika sitting in the tub with her knees against her chest. Protectively, she wrapped her arms around her legs and sunk her chin into the water, gazing dully at its placidity; she'd been sitting in there for a half hour now, but hadn't moved an inch to scrub herself. The day's stains – dirt and blood and grime and sweat – lazily pervaded the clean water, slowly swirling and congregating around Eirika's body.

Finally, she moved, tilting her head back and resting it against the basin, looking up at the ceiling, at nothing. She wanted to feel like that – like nothing, like she was floating off into the void, empty and bare and pure; so she plunged her head under the water, silky blue hair swimming above her and fragrant water stinging her eyes. She squeezed them shut. As she sank to the bottom of the bath, she wished, with every ounce of her heart, that she could emerge from the water as someone else, far from this violent mess of a life. She wished that she hadn't killed that man, she wished her father was alive, she wished Seth wasn't wounded so terribly, she wished she knew where Ephraim was, and she wished the dull, achy pain that sat within her would evaporate and disappear from consciousness.

She wished and wished and wished and wished, until the pressure overwhelmed her lungs and she shot up, tossing water everywhere. Her throat burned as she gasped and gagged and burst into a fit of weeping, fat tears rolling off her cheeks and splashing into the bath. Biting her lip, Eirika attempted to rein in her sobs, but only managed to taste the metallic flavor of the blood she drew.

The waters meant nothing. She was, still, just a princess, a murderer, an orphan.

Eirika sat in the tub for another hour or so, sobbing and shaking until she finally scrubbed herself clean, crawled out of the basin, and dried her body with the towel placed out for her. Even in such a state, she was still pampered; after drying, she picked up a comb from the counter of the washroom and ran in through her long hair, and then slipped into the fresh clothes set out. Though the Frelian nobility meant well, taking care of Eirika like this, it felt a little insulting – while Eirika was warm and clean, Renais was dying. Tonight, there were no warm baths and clean clothes for her people, only tragedy, a dark whirlpool that focused on the death of the king and sucked the rest of the nation down into it.

And what was their surviving monarch to do about it?

One hour, two hours in total Eirika spent in the bath, and yet she'd only needed a few minutes or so to actually wash. When she finally emerged from the room, night had fallen, and not a soul was to be seen - Eirika was left to her own devices. She'd visited Frelia plenty of times, so she knew the grounds well enough; but now, the cool night air was eerie and desolate rather than friendly. Cautiously, she stepped out of the washroom and into the walkway. The bath opened to the outdoor, rather than interior, hall, and the chilly spring air nipped at Eirika's skin as she traversed the stone path that lead from the main castle to the barracks. She was careful in her gait, attempting to keep the _click_ of her boots against the hard stone as silent as possible, as it was apparent the castle had already turned in for the night. Eirika would hate to wake anyone, especially after all that unfolded in the past few days – a late-night scolding for wandering out of bed was the last thing she sought.

Grimacing at the thought of an awkward encounter, she paused and surveyed the grounds for any signs of life she could have missed. But still, not a sound was to be heard, not a candle lit. Eirika proceeded, making the journey to the barracks, surrounded by only the faint chirps of crickets and the milky illumination of the full moon.

She was nearly there, only a few feet from her bed chamber, when Eirika realized she wasn't as alone as she thought.

Behind Castle Frelia, nestled in a shallow valley beneath the barracks, was a stream. And sitting a few feet from its banks, only visible thanks to the moonlight reflecting his red hair, was Seth.

Briefly, Eirika debated whether or not to speak to him. She didn't want to bother him… and yet, she was so lonely, and Seth was likely the only one who would understand. Somehow, he always did.

Eirika carefully walked down the hill, the brush of grass against her shoes just audible enough that Seth turned to her. "Lady Eirika?" he asked, concerned. "Are you restless?"

"I believe I could ask the same of yourself, Seth," she replied. Without waiting for a response, she then took her seat next to Seth, stretching her legs out on the ground before her. Now that she was closer, Eirika noticed that Seth's torso was entirely wrapped in bandages; in the dimness, she'd been deceived into thinking he was wearing a shirt. She awkwardly diverted her gaze to the waters instead, though Seth didn't seem to mind at all.

A sigh escaped his lips, as it did far too often. "I've been thinking too much. It seems that I can't get any sleep."

There wasn't much to say to that. Eirika felt the same way, a heavy cloud of thought pressing down on her, memories from the past few days replaying themselves in her mind as she attempted to go about life as normal – but normal was only a dream now, an evanescent mist that evaded her grasp.

She ran her fingers through dry grass between herself and Seth.

" _King Fado… did not survive the fall of Renais Castle… "_

Tears stung at her eyes, but Eirika held them back. She looked up from the grass and instead glanced at Seth next to her, noticing how tightly his body was wrapped. Normally, wounds could be treated on a moment's notice by clerical magic, but for more serious wounds…

" _You're just a corpse who doesn't know he's dead."_

"Seth… how fares your wound?" she asked suddenly, almost anxiously, breaking the silence of the evening.

He looked down at his chest and brushed the right side lightly with his hand. "It's healing," he replied simply. "Moulder cleared up the infection with restoration magic, but broken bones are another story."

"Y-you broke a bone?!"

"It's only a couple of ribs. Given a few more treatments, I'll be fine. Don't worry, Lady Eirika."

"I can't _not_ worry, Seth, not when it comes to you, I…" Eirika stopped herself, clenching her teeth tightly. The emotions berthed themselves in her throat, and she felt as though she'd start crying again. What was it? What was that feeling? It eluded her, and yet, it was so very present within her.

Seth gently rested his hand on her shoulder, causing Eirika to twist her neck rapidly to face him. Her face flushed pink out of surprise, but luckily, Seth wouldn't be able to see that in the darkness. "Eirika… please, do not worry. I am but one person. There is an entire nation that needs your care now, not just me."

Eirika's voice trembled. "Because… I'm the queen now, aren't I?"

With his thumb, Seth brushed away the tears that silently spilled over the rims of her eyes.

"N-no… I don't want to cry!" Eirika stuttered cathartically. "… I don't want any of it! I want to take it back, I don't want to be queen, I don't want to have killed those men, I… it's really selfish, I know that –"

Her eyes were squeezed shut as she reined in tears, so Eirika didn't see, but felt Seth's arm as he wrapped it around her fragile body and pulled her against him, wincing slightly as he pressed Eirika's head against the left side of his chest. "Eirika… it's okay," Seth spoke lowly into her hair, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Tonight, you're safe, and that's what matters. So just for tonight… you don't have to be a queen. Not yet. You can still be Eirika right now, and it will be okay."

Choking on her own quick, short breaths, Eirika let herself cry into Seth.

Just tonight.

She didn't have to be the queen for only tonight. Tomorrow may be a different story, but right now, the tears could fall, and she could sink into the warmth and comfort of Seth's arms. She curled up into him, and he remained unflinching, fortifying his embrace around her while she rubbed at her tear-stained cheeks with a loosely clenched fist.

It couldn't last forever. But right now, it felt as though the safety of Seth's arms was all she had; ever since he whisked her out of Renais, Seth was the most reliable aspect of Eirika's life. He was always there. He was injured, and he was still there – it was troublesome, but respectable. Seth didn't have to go out of his way to protect Eirika – in fact, she wished he hadn't – but here he sat, with a grave wound on his chest and an emotional girl in his arms, and Seth remained unfazed, consistently magnanimous and noble and caring.

Gradually, Eirika began to calm down, and with her ear against Seth's chest, she noticed the steady drum of his heartbeat. It was so soothing; not just his beating heart, but his presence, so much so Eirika felt herself growing increasingly drowsy – how late was it, anyway? How long had she been sitting with him?

"Seth… thank you," she whispered, fearing she'd fall asleep before expressing her gratitude.

Seth took his hand and brushed Eirika's hair from shrouding her face to behind her shoulder. "I promise you, Eirika, I will stand by your side," he said. "I swore, quite some time ago, that I would protect you, and I'm upholding that."

The words stirred Eirika, causing her to take a sharp, but barely audible breath. She looked up, catching a glimpse of the moonlight reflecting off Seth's deep, auburn eyes in a nearly invisible moment of locked sight, before they darted away and rested instead on the river before them.

_Don't push yourself,_ Eirika wanted to tell him, but she couldn't find a way to respond to Seth now, not as a heaviness settled into her eyelids and her head sank down into his lap. As she drifted away – perhaps thanks to the presence of another – her thoughts simplified, diverting from all the terrible aspects of her world, to Seth, just Seth, wondering why he was so close and why she liked that so much and why she felt such an intimate moment was best kept secret from others.

* * *

Eirika awoke the next morning in the barracks, without Seth by her side. After that night, their relationship regained a sort of normalcy, not as intimate as what Eirika felt in his arms but nonetheless stronger than before. They became a common pair, consistently backing the other up in battle, and maybe a bit more; when Eirika was reunited with Ephraim, Seth was there. And when she agreed to lead the eastward expedition, he was the first to volunteer.

As their company traversed the mountains between Carcino and Jehanna, Seth walked naturally at Eirika's side. They found a route in a valley, shielded by harsh, grey rock, but filled with pale green grasses and patches of icy slush. Thanks to the chilliness of the higher elevation, Eirika's breath was visible in a puff of smoke as she picked up her pace to catch up with Seth. His gait was larger compared to Eirika's, but she did manage to find a steady pace alongside him.

They weren't the only two to find themselves as travel partners during the trek to Jehanna. A ways ahead of Eirika, Natasha and Joshua also strolled side by side, the sight of which kindled a smile on her lips. Recently, news of their engagement had spread around camp, spread by a certain overly-enthusiastic troubadour. They had apparently attempted to hide their romance, but as soon as L'arachel found out about them, she became unreasonably enthralled with the idea of "divinely fated lovers" and ratted them out to the entire army. While Eirika knew a commander was supposed to disparage such distracting , trivial affairs, she found herself a little charmed by L'arachel's description. To fall in love during a war, of all times, and agree to be wed when the fighting was over… it sounded magical, and downright improbable. Yet it happened, miraculously, in her own ranks.

Romance hadn't personally occurred to Eirika yet, at least not seriously. It was the sort of thing she might idolize in childhood, dreams of magic frogs and high towers. But now it was a real presence in her life, though vague – there was, as a matter of fact, a certain someone who appeared in her mind when her thoughts drifted to love, but she chose to avoid dwelling on such embarrassing ideas.

So she kept on her way, marching with Seth while he lead his horse on foot across the uneven terrain.

"Seth?"

"Yes, Lady Eirika?" Seth replied, turning to regard her and catching Eirika in his deep, mahogany eyes.

She completely lost what she meant to ask him.

Flustered, Eirika quickly looked away from him, praying he didn't notice the flash of crimson across her cheeks. "Umm…" she mumbled, grasping into her mind for what it was she meant to say, but coming up empty-handed. "The mountain air is so crisp and clear! I didn't know it'd be this... refreshing," she finally sputtered, frantically searching for small talk to ease up her own awkwardness.

"Ah, yes, it's quite different here, compared to Renais," Seth agreed placidly. Evidently, he took no notice of Eirika's embarrassment.

"It's a shame we've faced so many more battles than anticipated, though," Eirika said, falling into the natural rhythm of conversation she usually maintained with Seth during these long marches. "I'd like to have time to enjoy Caer Pelyn." Yes, this was good. Normal talking, not awkward, just Eirika and Seth being normal friends who happened to have bad habits of putting the other's life before their own... yes, yes, perfectly normal companions.

"I... agree, but don't lose sight of our goal, milady."

Bittersweetly, Eirika let the corners of her lips lift into a smirk. Sometimes, she couldn't decide if his seriousness was infuriating or respectable, but she'd known him long enough to have seen him lighten up before. When she was sneaky, Eirika could catch Seth in those moments, secretly pocketing the low tone of his chuckle and subtle sweetness of his smile into her memory. The times where Seth was overtly blithe and relaxed were butterflies of occasions, fleeting, always just out of reach from everyone close to him, but Eirika developed a sort of understanding as to why he maintained his cool, focused demeanor - there was a war going on, after all. Her knight was devout in supporting Eirika and the rest of the army through the effort at hand.

The war... the thought struck Eirika like lightning, and she recalled why she meant to speak to Seth. "Ah, Seth, do you have a moment?" she asked. "Could you perhaps help me practice for a bit right now?"

Seth took a breath, inhaling and exhaling as if plagued by a dilemma. "… Princess Eirika. Before I do, there is something I must say to you."

She couldn't place a solid reason as to why, but a sense of nervousness hitched up in Eirika in reaction to Seth's tone. She ignored it. "Yes, what is it?"

"Please forgive my rudeness..." he began, taking obvious care to meticulously choose his words. "Princess, I am merely your subject. Recently, however, you have been too... close, to me. It is not becoming of a noble of Renais to fraternize in this way with her subjects."

"Oh... But I..." This time, Eirika couldn't possibly conceal her blush. She felt suddenly feverish and guilty; of course, Seth was right, she was favoring him; but not without reason, not purely out of unfairness or immaturity. Yet she struggled to explain herself in the tension of confrontation. "It's just that... your wound has not yet..." she said weakly.

No. More than that.

"I was merely..."

Seth stopped her. "It's true. The wound I received the day our castle fell has not yet healed... perhaps it will afflict me to the end of my life."

Noticing that Eirika, cursed by petite stature, had fallen a couple paces behind, Seth halted his horse and waited a moment for the princess to catch up. Maybe he thought it was courtesy to wait for a lady, but in reality, Eirika had begun to purposefully lag in her step. Compared to earlier, she dreaded speaking to Seth; she knew what he was going to tell her, she knew already, she knew...

"But it would be a mistake to assume you owe me a debt for this wound," Seth continued once Eirika stood before him. "This though should not rest beneath the crown you soon must wear."

"But still, you suffered for me..." Eirika tried to give him a more honest explanation for her behavior, but it was useless. All she could do was subject herself to Seth's recital of his knightly duties.

"Lady Eirika. You are a noble of Renais. The nobility should not favor one subject over another. How can they maintain their fealty if you treat one so... differently?"

Eirika looked down, focusing on the sprigs of grass and weeds that poked out of the rocky crags surrounding them, rather than allowing herself torture in Seth's stoic gaze. Only he could deliver such a monologue in apathy, telling Eirika all the truths she understood but avoided thinking of. He was a knight and she was a queen, that's all, the end.

Without the eye contact of the princess, Seth continued. "You may have to forego such attachments just to defend your country. There will be times when victory in battle demands a sacrifice. If you cannot send your men to die, then you are not fit to rule."

"...I understand..." she finally conceded. Eirika squeezed her burning eyes shut. Such flowery language, just to say _you will have to send me to certain death, don't get yourself attached to someone who won't be around forever._ "Seth... you are correct. I had forgotten my place and I had forgotten my duty. Please forgive me."

But Eirika had done more than just forget her place. Only now did she realize why, why her heart raced and her palms sweat, why Seth's protectiveness had a sort of sweetness in her eyes, why his evanescent smiles meant so much to her. It was the same reason Natasha and Joshua had come under the excited scrutiny of the entire army, except in her case, it was evidently one-sided.

"That night..." she began timidly, holding back the emotions that threatened to flood forth. "We fled from the soldiers of Grado... You held me tight, keeping me safe from the enemy's blades... Perhaps... perhaps I did feel something more for you then."

But "perhaps" only brushed the surface of her affections, this she knew. "For certain" was more accurate, but more condemning.

"… It was improper for a queen of Renais. And with my father dead, I suppose that is my station. I am a queen, and you are a knight in my service. If I do not keep this in mind, then I will never be able to rebuild our kingdom."

It hurt, forcing reluctant words off her tongue in this way. It was proper diction, the kind of thing a queen was supposed to say, but it did little to erase the painful mistake Eirika let herself make.

She'd fallen in love with him.

Eirika still hadn't regained eye contact with Seth. "I thank you for your understanding," he said, seemingly unimpacted by her words. "Now, if you will excuse me..."

Seth began to walk ahead of Eirika once more, lest they be left behind by the caravan. But surprisingly, he took only a handful of paces before he halted again.

"Princess Eirika."

She hadn't budged an inch yet, but looked up at the sound of her name.

"If you would allow me to say one more thing..."

"Seth...?" She'd never seen him like this before. Despite the breadth of space between them, Eirika noticed a heavy sadness in the knight's eyes, devoid of their usual, faint twinkle.

"...That night." Seth paused and took a breath before he could continue. "...I felt what you felt. When I held you in my arms as we rode into the night... It was the first time since I was knighted that I forgot my duty. I thought of you not as my queen, but as someone I wanted to protect from all harm. I wanted to leave everything behind... To take you far away to someplace where we could be together... Those were my thoughts."

"Seth..." was all Eirika could manage. Her eyes burned ferociously and a lump lodged itself stubbornly in her throat, but she refused to cry; not now. Defensively, she wrapped her arms around her torso and looked down at her cold, pale hands.

There was the sound of footsteps, and Eirika looked up again. There he was; Seth had closed the gap between them, and now looked down at her. Nervously, she avoided his gaze, but Seth gently took her chin in his fingers and lifted her head to where their sights connected. Eirika cursed herself when the first tears overflowed her eyes, but her knight gently wiped them off her warm cheeks by working his thumb over her smooth skin.

"Please forgive me," he said lowly and sincerely, connecting his gaze with Eirika in the quiet, tense moment. "I swear to you that I will never again forget my duty in that way. Now, please excuse me. When I see you next, it will be as a knight of Renais... And I will lay down my life to protect my queen."

Words were lost to Eirika. She swallowed, glancing away from him. "Seth..." she murmured, unable to verbalize everything she thought.

_Don't say these things, don't tell me. It only make the pain worse._

_All I can do is ache at what could have been._

Both parties involved were equally guilty.

Seth left her, walking away with his head low and his hand tightly gripped on the reign of his horse. Eirika hung back, shivering in the nippy mountain breeze while she watched Seth's grand figure diminish and catch up with the rest of the company.

Absent-mindedly, she stuck her frozen, numb fingers between her lips.

Seth forgot that they were going to practice together.


	3. The Proposal

The temple did not appear fit for royalty, yet Eirika knew that the demon king resided within it. Cracks marked the cool grey façade, chunks of eroded stone littered the rows of steps that led to the entrance, and the roof was all but hidden by gloomy, low-hanging trees that pressed against it. The building exuded a vehement eerieness, and its unsettling qualities birthed a definite sense of unease in the princess. 

She swallowed, glancing at the cumbersome dragon corpse that lay to the left of the temple's entry. With him out of the way – felled by Artur and L'arachel's genius holy magic skills – the army was to advance into Lyon's keep. They'd consolidated their forces for this mission; hopefully the last of this war, and now everyone took care to heal up and repair their weaponry in preparation for the impending battle. 

"Sister!" Ephraim cheered when he found Eirika after the battle. Seth followed him. "Let’s get going. He'll be starting the ritual soon." 

"I... give me a moment," Eirika replied hesitantly. "It's been a long journey. I think I need a little time to breathe before I proceed." 

"No need to worry," Seth added before Ephraim could object. "I will accompany her." 

Ephraim smiled and picked up his sister's hand in his, giving it a quick squeeze. "Okay. I trust you." With that, he ran off, lance in hand, leaving the knight and the princess. 

Eirika looked up at the clear, evening sky over the imposing temple. It wasn't exactly fear nor fatigue that kept her outside, shuffling her feet in the overgrown grass. 

"Lady Eirika," Seth said, catching the princess in her daze. "Your brother is right. The ritual will be initiated soon – we must proceed -" 

"That's it," she sighed. "It's... a little hard to go in there when I know that... that Lyon awaits us." 

Seth looked down. "I dislike having to say this, but, milady... Prince Lyon is gone." 

"I know." 

Neither said anything for a moment, standing in silence as the other troops entered the Black Temple. 

"I lost Lyon to the darkness," Eirika said, a downcast gleam in her cerulean eyes. "So what if... what if I lose others as well? I know what you said, Seth, about my duty to send my men to their doom unflinchingly... but I can't just _do_ that. Not without a heavy heart. I'll lose so much if I lose anyone else, if I lose Ephraim, if I lose you..." 

Seth rested a sympathetic hand on Eirika's quivering shoulder and looked at her with assuring eyes. "Lady Eirika," he said. "This is what you must do. I trust you to lead us whole-heartedly." 

It wasn't the first time Eirika became lost in those amber eyes, trapped in a suspended moment where her perceivable world consisted only of Seth. The last occurrence was in the mountains, when he rejected her. 

But in this encounter, Eirika felt different from when she and Seth confessed to each other. There was a sort of urgency about their situation now, and she knew Seth really was right; she had to lead those closest to her straight into certain death. 

It would take courage, but if there was anything Eirika learned in this entire journey, it was courage. 

So she put her bravery to work, lifting herself on her tip-toes and lightly grabbing Seth's arms with her calloused, swordsman's hands. With closed eyes, she pushed up with her palms, and after what felt like an eternity of nervous shaking, pressed her lips against his. 

Surprisingly, Seth leaned into the kiss, moving their chapped lips against each other, sending a jolt of passion though Eirika. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, and her cheeks flushed with warmth – she felt so _light._ It was unremarkable. 

The moment did not last nearly long enough for Eirika's liking, and Seth pulled away from her with rosy cheeks to match her own (quite unexpected from the cool, collected knight). "Why did you do... um, that, if I may ask, Lady Eirika?" he muttered, maintaining his grasp on Eirika's shoulders. 

Eirika smiled shyly and looked up at Seth though feathery eyelashes. "I could ask the same of you..." she remarked quietly. "You know, Seth, you talk a lot about duty, and honor, and what's right... too much, I believe." 

"Eirika-" 

"I've always admired your self-sacrifice. But if you're going to do anything for me..." She couldn't bring herself to say "don't die", though she knew her knight would let that happen before she was so much as injured. Eirika sighed. "I just can't lose you, Seth. There's your answer." 

"I..." Seth began, clearly flustered. "I understand, milady." 

He removed his fingers from Eirika's shoulders and took her hands in his. "Thank you," she said, looking up at his vermillion hair and sun-kissed skin, illuminated by the warm light of sunset. Even if the final battle ended tragically for them, at least she'd done what she did; no matter what, she still loved him. 

"It's best that we go on," Seth said, leading Eirika by the hand up the steps of the Black Temple.  

She smiled. The fate of the world was at stake, and still, she felt Seth's name written on her heart. He wouldn't return her feelings – Eirika had come to understand this after the encounter in the mountains – but still, her love extended to the knight who she began this adventure with. Their bond was still strong, and it was always enough for her, even if imperfect and tinged with unrequited affections. As the pair crossed into the sinister temple, Eirika knew she would have Seth by her side through the whole ordeal. 

* * *

 

"Franz. Do you mind taking this letter to my brother while you're in Grado?" 

The young knight chuckled. "It's no problem at all, Eirika. I've become used to this whole messenger job – you and General Seth are always sending him things." 

"I suppose that's Seth for you. Always the thorough one, sending status reports so regularly... they're probably ten pages long a piece." 

"Maybe," Franz replied with a smirk. "Anyway, I'll see you again soon, milady. Take care!" 

It was a few months following the final battle and Eirika found herself once again residing in Castle Renais. The memories were still vivid and etched into her mind; just by closing her eyes, she could see once more Ephraim strategically piercing the demon king Formortiis, delivering the final blow to their ultimate enemy and effectively ending its reign of terror over Magvel. Unfortunately, her brother did not live with her, even with the new found peace over the land. War left the continent – Renais and Grado in particular – ravaged, so only weeks after returning home, Ephraim left to aid the reconstruction of Grado, while Eirika lead the restoration of her homeland. 

She missed her brother sorely as a result and wrote him religiously, confiding in him the difficulties and triumphs of rebuilding. Today, however, there was little report of Renais' status in the parchment Eirika handed off the Franz. Rather, she used the letter to fill her brother in on something he missed in sneaking off to Grado at the beginning of the war. Today marked a whole year from the dismal day when Renais fell, and their father with it. 

Eirika watched Franz as he rode south under stark, crystal-blue skies. Given the tragedy associated with the day, she half-expected to see heavy clouds and threats of rain; but the air was peppered with pleasant bird songs and blithe village chatter. She waited there for a moment at the palace gate in the serenity of the melancholy day. Looking at her surroundings -  the proud grey walls sprouting from carefully laid cobblestones that lead in towards the palace and out towards the bustling capital city – Eirika could hardly tell for herself that this land had been in tatters only a year before. The grounds she stood on were previously host to violence and bloodshed; this was the spot where Seth faced Valter, where Eirika was dragged out of her old life and into the most perilous, remarkable journey of her life. 

It seemed that life was just as much in motion as it was before the war. But with that, Eirika secretly longed for the excitement of battle from time to time, especially when faced with new responsibilities from the nobility. Being of age, she was expected to be a model princess – get married, listen to the people, host celebrations - the likes of which she nearly forgot in her adventure. 

Taking a breath of the verdant spring air, the princess turned around and began towards the back of the palace grounds, through the courtyards and gardens in which she once played until finally, she reached the cemetery. It was an enclosed area, set upon a low hill separate from the palace compound. As of  late, the graveyard was rather well-kept; the dirt paths were swept, the willows trimmed, the headstones free of debris. It was only natural, considering the recent war and influx of burials. Death became and immediate, more threatening presence in the past year, and so the cemetery became frequented by the surviving Renaissian nobility. 

However, the day was still young, and Eirika was alone in her stroll. She passed countless names and countless flower arrangements, most of which belonged to nobles she, unfortunately, could not recall. The cemetery didn't become familiar to her until she reached the central garden, emerging into the cool shade of its tall, ancient trees. Nestled in the grove was a collection of more ornate tombs that belonged to the royal family, with the newest graves – those of Eirika's mother and father – at the far side of the area. 

Having never before visited the graves unattended before, a new forlornness tugged at Eirika's mind while she navigated the tombs of her ancestors. Ephraim wasn't there to hold her hand for comfort, and there was no one else she could think of to accompany her – except perhaps Seth, but the knight was nowhere to be found this morning. 

Yet, to Eirika's surprise, she was in fact not alone in the graveyard. As she approached the grand, smooth marble headstone of her father, she found a tall, familiar, ginger-haired figure already kneeling before it.  

With eyes closed and hands clasped in his lap, Seth was evidently praying before King Fado's grave. He sat with unflinching serenity, as if frozen in time; Eirika momentarily held her breath in fear of disturbing the sanctuary. Cautiously, she walked towards him, suddenly aware of how much noise she generated when moving – the brush of grass against her feet, the whisper of her breath – until she saw Seth's eyes flutter open. 

"Seth..." Eirika said, touched. "You came to pay respects to father?" 

The knight turned to her and rose to his feet. Eirika thought she caught a glimpse of a pinkish tint to Seth's cheeks, but assumed he was just a tad startled at her sudden presence. "Yes," he replied as he brushed the grass from his trousers. "King Fado was like a father to me... I found it imperative to visit him this morning." 

Eirika smiled. "Thank you," she said before she stepped closer to the headstone and knelt down to inspect it. The stone felt cool beneath her fingers as she traced the inscription. Never before had she gotten this close without breaking down, but with a year come and gone now, she was stronger. Seth had been one to see to that. 

With knees pressed against the grave, Eirika shut her eyes and said her mental prayer.  

 _Father... I trust you are in heaven watching over Ephraim and me. Renais is very different now, because as of late, it's mostly just me. Needless to say, I miss you terribly, and it still makes me sad to think that you're gone. I wish that, instead of telling Seth to flee with me, you had come with us. But still, I honor your decision to stay. Would our countries have found peace without you? I've come to doubt it._  

 _And so I ask that you watch over us from your place in the stars. Watch over Ephraim, that he might be a strong king like you._  

Opening her eye just a crack, Eirika caught a peek of Seth. He stood near her, gazing absent-mindedly at the foliage overhead.  

 _Watch over Seth, too._  

With nothing else to say, Eirika began to stand, though Seth was quick to grab her arm and help her up. "Are you alright, Lady Eirika?" he asked. 

Instead of meeting Seth's, Eirika's eyes remained fixated on her father's grave below her. "I think I'll be fine. Thank you, Seth," she replied, and clasped her hands together. "I suppose it's time I left, however." 

"Would you like me to accompany you home?" 

"...Actually, I'd like to be out for a little while. Perhaps you'd like to walk with me?" 

With a slight smile, Seth followed Eirika as she began to walk down the hill, away from the cemetery. When they began to descend, he grabbed her hand to help her down; Eirika barely noticed that he didn't let go, even after they reached level ground. But as they meandered about the forests surrounding the capital, she realized how recently, Seth had been a bit closer than before; of course, he was always by her side during the war, but now it was different. He didn't have to be personally close to Eirika outside of knightly duties, and yet he was. Any time the princess did something – when she visited the town, or travelled across Renais for the reconstruction effort; even last week, when she fell ill with a cold for a few days – she found that her knight was present. 

Eirika chalked it up to his loyalty. 

After all, he'd established the extent of his feelings for her, and - Seth being Seth – wouldn't likely change that any time soon. Eirika was left to accept the nature of unrequited love; perhaps she'd finally listen to the council and find herself a suitor. But the way Seth still made her feel – the comforting sturdiness of his fingers interlaced with hers – made her think that an _honest_ marriage with any other man was a distant possibility. 

"Lady Eirika," Seth said suddenly, interrupting the princess' internal musings. "I understand you didn't want to return to the castle yet, but... perhaps we are straying a bit far from the capital?" 

"Far?" Eirika asked, perplexed. "What do you mean?" 

Seth pointed in the opposite direction of which they had traveled. "...The city would be in that direction, milady." 

Embarrassed, Eirika's eyes widened and her hands rushed to her rosy cheeks. Of course, it was normal to go for a stroll with Seth, but walking with him alone, away from other people... of course it was peculiar! "Aha... I didn't even notice! Oh my goodness..." 

"Is everything alright...?" 

Eirika sighed. "Well... I have been a bit... pressured, lately. That's why I wanted to avoid the castle for a bit." She looked down at her fingers as she kneaded them against each other. "With Ephraim and I being of marrying age, and Renais still being in a disrepaired state, the council... in short, they're looking for heirs." 

"They expect you to marry soon." 

"Yes, for 'a secure future for Renais', but... I'm...." Eirika took a heavy breath. "I can't possibly marry when I'm still in love with someone I shouldn't." 

Warmth overwhelmed her face as her eyes avoided the "someone" in question. 

"Eirika." 

Shyly, she looked up. 

"I still love you." 

Eirika stood there for a moment with Seth's confession echoing in her ears, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. "There's... Seth, there's no way..." 

Seth lifted up her hand with his, holding it in the suddenly small gap between them. "Listen, please, Eirika. When you said I was too concerned with being a knight, you were right. But all the time I was overly concerned with fealty, I never could see as  _only_ the princess I serve. You've always, always meant so much more to me." 

"Seth..." Eirika's voice trembled with emotion. "I've felt the same way..." 

"I know. So today, I asked the king for his blessing." 

"Pardon?" 

In one fell swoop, Seth was on one knee and looking up at Eirika. He proceeded to remove from his pocket a silver token of sorts that glinted in the patchy sunlight filtering through the trees. 

It was a ring. 

"Eirika, if you must marry, then please – choose me." 

She stared at him in a stunned silence. 

"You don't have to accept right away. I understand I wasn't good to you, and I wasn't honest about how I felt. But now that things have settled down... perhaps we should follow our hearts." 

At this point, Eirika could no longer hold it in. She plunged forward, nearly knocking Seth over as she wrapped her arms around him. "Seth... Seth, Seth, Seth, Seth..." She repeated, unable to fathom what happened. 

"Eirika...?" 

Finally, she pulled herself back at arm's length to look at Seth through tear-filled eyes. "The only person in the entire world I could marry is you!" 

Seth's face lit up in a way Eirika had never seen before and he pulled her back to her feet and into a tight embrace. "I... I promise to make you happy," he managed. 

Eirika smiled into Seth's chest, then tilted her head up to him. As she wiped a tear from her eye, she chuckled. "Then make this the last time you make me cry!" 

"I promise," he said once more, auburn eyes sparkling pleasantly.  

When he leaned in towards Eirika, she didn't hesitate; this time, the kiss felt more real, more magical than before. Their mouths pressed against each other for a moment until his tongue cautiously pushed between her lips and they found themselves trapped in a sweet, slow dance of a kiss. Feeling Seth like this – his hands clutching her back, her arms hooked around his neck – it made Eirika felt as if they'd float off like this, into the sky, beyond the world. All she knew of was his love. 

And when they pulled apart, and Seth formally slid the silver band onto Eirika's finger, she knew she needed nothing more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it's done! This took me about a month and a half longer to finish than I anticipated... hah.  
> I really just wanted to finish off their story with a nice pretty bow, incorporating some other support conversations and Seth and Eirika's marriage ending. Surprisingly, the last part was the first scene I had in mind when planning this story, but when I got to it, it took the longest to write!  
> In the end I just kinda wanted to get this over with ^^; This was a fun project though, a nice challenge. There was a lot a lot a LOT of revision that went into crafting this fic... Seth and Eirika are kind of difficult to write, only because there's not a great deal of canon surrounding their relationship.  
> After this... I think I'll just write a few one-shots. (I did finish FE7 recently...)
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me! As always, I appreciate feedback more than anything. :)


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